Just picked my copy up at midnight last night, and personally I am blown away. I've had a few chances to play Halo 4's multiplayer, but after getting more than a few hours to touch both single player and multiplayer, it's clear to me that 343 has created a masterpiece.

PROS

- The sound has been completely redone, and is immaculate. Bullets sound more heavy and battle sound more brutal. This creates a beautiful atmosphere inside each confrontation in the game. The score is nonstop and drive you through the game, like a Hans Zimmer score in a Nolan movie.

- The HUD has been completely revamped, giving it a much more Metroid like feel. It really does a great job of pulling you into the world.

-New weapons have been added, they are epic

-The story is epic, focusing more on Cortana than anybody else. Also nice to see Lasky show up and really solidify the tie in with "Forward Unto Dawn"

-It's still Halo, but at the hands of a new developer, everything old feels new again.

CONS

- Halo 4 has a robust extended universe that the story expects you to know. If you haven't filled yourself in on any story elements surrounding the new Halo, it might be difficult to follow.

-While everything is reinvented, it doesn't do anything that would be considered game changing in the FPS genre.

Very very impressed so far. I haven't had this much fun in a multiplayer game in a LONG time. Visuals/Sound are excellent and the story has me intrigued so far. All of the new weapons I've used so far have been very cool/effective.

Don't think I agree with your first con. I'll never have sympathy for someone that picks up a game on the 4th numbered title of the series.

Anyway, yeah, I'm absolutely loving it so far. I agree with all of your pros. When it comes to the campaign, having Cortana be the center of it is a huge draw for me. She was always my favorite character and it's nice to see her getting a huge role to play in the story. Visually, I'm blown away by the game. Bungie was a great dev but they never pushed the boundaries graphically after Halo 2. When Halo 3 came out it really never felt like a huge leap and the following games never really did either. That can't be said for this game, it's absolutely beautiful.

I'm on the last level of the campaign, and it's good so far, not great, but good. I think it got a little too supernatural.

The multiplayer is amazing and really fast and fun. My only complaint is the randomness of what ordinance drop you get. Once I got a needler, overshield, and the Promethean grenades, another I get a shotgun or gravity hammer...

Campaign is leaps and bounds better than Reach although Cortana is hellla annoying. Multiplayer is much better than 3 and Reach. Although I'll get bored of this game in like a month since online will get ruined by 12 year old kids getting the game for Christmas.

I've only had time to play part of the first level. I can't believe the level of detail 343 is getting from the 360. It's almost what I would expect a 720 launch game to look like. It's gotta be voodoo.

Campaign is leaps and bounds better than Reach although Cortana is hellla annoying. Multiplayer is much better than 3 and Reach. Although I'll get bored of this game in like a month since online will get ruined by 12 year old kids getting the game for Christmas.

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wat

She's pretty much unanimously been named the best part about the campaign and the voice actor has been getting a ton of praise.

I thought about it for half a moment, but I have no experience with the franchise beyond a bit from the first game, and that wasn't enough to keep me interested. I feel like I would be underwhelmed if I tried playing like this.

I thought about it for half a moment, but I have no experience with the franchise beyond a bit from the first game, and that wasn't enough to keep me interested. I feel like I would be underwhelmed if I tried playing like this.

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Yeah, I'd imagine it would. It wouldn't be like starting Star Wars with the RotJ but it would still hurt the experience imo.

Don't think I agree with your first con. I'll never have sympathy for someone that picks up a game on the 4th numbered title of the series.

Anyway, yeah, I'm absolutely loving it so far. I agree with all of your pros. When it comes to the campaign, having Cortana be the center of it is a huge draw for me. She was always my favorite character and it's nice to see her getting a huge role to play in the story. Visually, I'm blown away by the game. Bungie was a great dev but they never pushed the boundaries graphically after Halo 2. When Halo 3 came out it really never felt like a huge leap and the following games never really did either. That can't be said for this game, it's absolutely beautiful.

Click to expand...

This is the first Halo game it feels like they are actually breathing some life into. It feels very soulful compared to the other games.

Just picked my copy up at midnight last night, and personally I am blown away. I've had a few chances to play Halo 4's multiplayer, but after getting more than a few hours to touch both single player and multiplayer, it's clear to me that 343 has created a masterpiece.

PROS

- The sound has been completely redone, and is immaculate. Bullets sound more heavy and battle sound more brutal. This creates a beautiful atmosphere inside each confrontation in the game. The score is nonstop and drive you through the game, like a Hans Zimmer score in a Nolan movie.

- The HUD has been completely revamped, giving it a much more Metroid like feel. It really does a great job of pulling you into the world.

-New weapons have been added, they are epic

-The story is epic, focusing more on Cortana than anybody else. Also nice to see Lasky show up and really solidify the tie in with "Forward Unto Dawn"

-It's still Halo, but at the hands of a new developer, everything old feels new again.

CONS

- Halo 4 has a robust extended universe that the story expects you to know. If you haven't filled yourself in on any story elements surrounding the new Halo, it might be difficult to follow.

-While everything is reinvented, it doesn't do anything that would be considered game changing in the FPS genre.

I've never been much of an FPS guy, I just play them when I have nothing else to play, mainly in the dry months of summer, but I decided to pick up Halo 4 because I really like the first two. Not dissapointed in the least with this game. It makes me want to be a more active FPS player.